NTAs 2025: Gary Lineker Gave The Speech Of The Night After Winning Best Presenter

Gary Lineker on stage during the National Television Awards on Wednesday nightGary Lineker has said he believes his victory at this year’s NTAs is evidence that “perhaps it’s OK sometimes for us to use our platform” to speak up on causes that are close to people’s hearts.On Wednesday night, the former Match Of The Day host was awarded the Best Presenter prize at the National Television Awards, a title which had previously gone to Ant and Dec for 23 years running.However, during this year’s ceremony, it was revealed that the award, voted for by members of the public, had been given to the former England striker, who left Match Of The Day earlier this year after a very public controversy.Reacting to breaking the Britain’s Got Talent hosts’ winning streak, Gary quipped: “Blimey, I’ve won the Ant and Dec trophy! Right, what to say?“Firstly, of course, thank you to everybody who voted for me. It’s hugely appreciated. It’s amazing.“I remember when I first started to present Match Of The Day about a quarter of a century ago, and there were these two young Geordies, who were just making a name for themselves, and I thought to myself, ‘these boys are going to win this award, the NTA, every single year until Newcastle win a trophy’. So, there you have it.”Gary Lineker posing with his National Television AwardCommenting on the significance of his win, he then noted: “It’s not lost on me why I might have won this award. Aside from presenting Match Of The Day, the most iconic football show on television for 26 years, and there are so many amazing people that I’ve worked with both in front of the camera and behind the camera over that period of time. I want to say a massive thank you to each and every one of them, because I wouldn’t be here now receiving this award if it wasn’t for them.”Gary added: “Also… I think it demonstrates that perhaps it’s OK sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice. Thank you, it means the world.”@nationaltvawards“I won the @Ant & Dec trophy!” Congrats GaryLineker, what an incredible speech 👏 #NTAs♬ original sound - National Television AwardsBack in May, Gary issued a public apology after unknowingly resharing anti-Semitic coded imagery on social media, when reposted a video titled “Zionism explained in less than two mins”, which addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza.What he seemingly did not realise was that it was overlaid with a cartoon image of a rat, an anti-Semitic trope dating back to Nazi Germany.Having already announced that he would be stepping down from Match Of The Day at the end of the football season, Gary also made the decision to leave the show early as a result of the controversy.“As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for,” he insisted.“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”Two years prior, Gary found himself at the centre of a separate media storm when posts from him criticising the former Conservative government’s policy on migration were found to be in breach of the BBC’s guidelines around impartiality.As a result, the BBC’s leadership team declared that Gary would not present that week’s edition of Match Of The Day, which led to several of his BBC Sport colleagues also pulling out of their own presenting duties in solidarity.The BBC’s decision sparked a widespread backlash, resulting in Gary being reinstated as Match Of The Day host a few days later. At the end of his tenure at the BBC, Gary had been repeatedly named the corporation’s highest-earning star.He now co-presents the podcast The Rest Is Football with Alan Sharer and Micah Richards, and was last month announced as the host of a new ITV gameshow called The Box.READ MORE:Gary Lineker And Nicola Coughlan Among 300 Stars Calling For Starmer To End 'Complicity' In GazaGary Lineker Mocks His Inclusion On The Mail's 'Woke List'Richard Madeley And Gary Lineker Clash Over BBC Star's Comments On Government's Migrant Plans

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